Thinking About a Beck Spyder...

[Jens]

Yeah, you are right, I should have been more specific. Anyway, it scared the crap out of me. The VW suspension sucked in a huge way and if not for quick reaction times, I would have balled the thing up on several occasions. What served well for the Beetle with 25HP was just not working at speed with big power. Lesson learned though, I had a lot of fun with that car and made money when I sold it some 20,000 miles later. Nothing could match it on the road for sheer quick

[a911s]

What do the rest of you guys think about a Beck Spyder?

Where do you live?

If I lived in San Diego, Southern Arizona or New Mexico, I think it would be a hoot. Otherwise, the days I could actually use it might seem very limited. I would put in some kind of removable roll bar for protection as well.

[t6dpilot]

Rick, that story was great! Driven a car or two that fits that very colorful description. And the horn story? Not much I read makes me laugh out loud. That did.

I have often wondered about those cars over the years. Good build, fun factor, ect...?

[LongRanger]

. . . often wondered about those cars over the years. Good build, fun factor, ect...? . . .

Hey, Scott . . .

I have an almost pathological aversion to 'home-builts' and anything engineered in a backyard or garage . . . let alone built in someone's spare time/out of a catalog/between commercial breaks/etc. Looking back on it, the particular car I drove gave off a lot of bad signs . . . I mean --- this thing looked/sounded (@ 1st) awful

Funny thing was? . . . it was just about the most impressive drive I've ever had exactly because --- I was not expecting to be impressed. I was just some Stroke, out killing time

As it turned out the '0015' was significant because, if you know a little about Chuck Beck . . . he started out building (as in, completely) the first coupla dozen-or-so Spyders, then selling them 'turn-key.' Very different from the knocked-down 'kits' imported from Brazil, which came much later. I have pictures of the cars that Beck showed at the L.A. Auto Show, back in the early '80s --- open-center wheels, drum brakes, leather seats, front oil-coolers (fully-plumbed) . . . not just 'kits' --- more like dead-on 'replicas' . . . but in plastic. The car I drove may've 'looked' a little mangy --- but it sure didn't drive that way . . . especially reading some of the other owner/operator comments here. No sh!t --- I could adjust that car's attitude mid-corner on the throttle . . . something I wouldn't do again until I had a Real M3, ten years later

If I was shopping for a Beck, I'd try to get one of those early cars . . . or maybe ask Chuck himself to help me find one + how to set one up. The engines + trans are not a big deal --- $$ = fun. From what others have described --- and what I 'felt,' behind the wheel . . . I have a hunch there were some serious differences in componentry/construction/set-up that may've gotten 'watered-down' some, as time went by

The car I drove --- 0015 . . . was pretty amazing

Wonder what ever happened to it?

[john rice]

Things I didn't know:
Jens had one.
Things Jens didn't know: [until now]
I have one.
Sitting on my lift. I am sitting here in my family room. I look over at the door to the garage and know that the tiny beast is sitting about 20 feet away wanting to go out and play.
This is actually my wife's car. Got it to help make up for me selling the insane Speedster mit 911. Not as fast but plenty fast "enough".
And, yes, it is an early one- 024. We used to refer to the first ones as "Built by California surfers" but the construction is way too good to describe them that way. Sadly, I rarely use it. A lot of that has to do with zinging around and realizing that I am constantly surrounded by BIG suv/pick up/ whatever vehicles. Makes me feel like a bug on a lunch counter. These are so tiny that I never use the [flimsy] door. I just step over the sill both ways. Most of the controls are very direct. The shifter and clutch feel are both ..quaint. Fire it up, get it moving, and you quickly adjust and discover they are a joy to drive. The operative terms for these cars are Responsiveness and Snap Over steer. The adult portion of my brain forces me to admit that you might be safer on a good bike. Very solid ["Porsche like"], very primitive, very much FUN. I promised myself I would sell it for the past several years. We bought a Boxster S so my wife would have something she would actually drive. It feels and looks like a Lexus next to this thing. I keep thinking I may move somewhere more fitting to enjoying one of these so it remains, beckoning.

I was going to comment about total lack of protection from the elements. [Yes, I bought the top and side curtains etc but couldn't bring myself to ruin a neat car by installing them.] I don't dare suggest it is too cold right now to take it out [even tho it is finally up to the 30s today] as I don't want to feel responsible for Jens hurting himself falling out of his chair laughing. I'm trying to imagine having one of these in Vermont!

JR

[LongRanger]

As seen at The Pomona Swap, Sunday, 13-Jan . . .

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...n-13-Jan/page2

Asking $33.5k

(Not mine)